Visual guidance system for barrel-fired projectiles

ABSTRACT

A winged external guidance frame placed on the muzzle that can couple with a projectile while exiting the barrel utilizing the kinetic energy of the projectile to travel to the target while the accuracy is provided by on board electronics and corrected using the wings. Alternately a reusable unmanned aerial system that travels in the speed and direction of the projectile and couples with the projectile as it exits the barrel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a divisional patent application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/375,425 which was filed on April 4, 2019and which, in turn, is a non-provisional conversion of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/723,030 which was filed on Aug. 27, 2018, thepriority benefits of which are hereby claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of defense; morespecifically to the application of artillery or other projectileguidance systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional artillery shells or other projectiles use veryexpensive hardened electronics to provide navigational guidance forprecision impact. These expensive conventional electronic guidancesystems are capable of withstanding very high pressure, vibrations andtemperature generated inside the barrel of an artillery gun however,despite being expensive these conventional guidance systems still havevery limited capabilities in terms of sensors that can be deployed,range and maneuverability. This is because the guidance electronicsystems are designed to operate from inside the barrel to withstand thevery high temperature, pressure and vibrations. The other option is touse aircrafts to carry the projectiles but, in this case too, very largeaircrafts are required to lift heavy payloads. The present inventionaims to solve these issues by the exact opposite approach.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to convert an artillery shell or anyprojectile into an unmanned aerial system with cheaper electronicnavigation system and which is more versatile, capable of hitting evenmoving targets behind mountains with pin-point accuracy. This inventionalso eliminates the need for using aircrafts to carry the projectileinstead uses the kinetic energy of the fired projectile to carry thewinged guidance frame. Hardened expensive military electronics isrequired when the navigation system is inside the barrel as part of theammunition, thus experiencing great stress, vibration and hightemperature. The solution to this problem is to have the navigationsystem outside the box, i.e., in this case outside the barrel (OTB) andexternal navigation system can be coupled with the projectile and usethe projectile's energy to carry the external guidance aerial system.This external platform not only allows the use of the conventional GPS,INS, Laser guidance etc., but also allows the usage of the sensitiveelectronics like camera sensors thus allowing the artillery to be guidedvisually. Taking the solution outside the barrel also allows the usageof wider wings, cheaper electric motors and also better power supply;thus, improving the performance and the range. This invention is awinged guidance platform that enables the usage of cheaper electronicsystems for navigation, guidance and communication, which couples withthe projectile outside the barrel and guides it to the targetaccurately. The rifling of the barrel to provide the accuracy byspinning the projectile is also now made unnecessary by this invention.This external guidance device is attached to the projectile via a malecoupling rod which clutches on to the female receiver while exiting thebarrel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1a and 1b show the projectile's external frame guidance aerialplatform placed at the muzzle with the fuse that will couple with theprojectile;

FIG. 2 shows an external unmanned aerial system (UAS) that nets orcaptures the traditional artillery projectile where the fuse is part ofthe projectile however the guidance is provided by the UAS;

FIG. 3a shows a UAS coupled with an external hollow frame, such that theUAS can break away from the frame before the impact to maintain clearline of sight for communication, and FIG. 3B shows the dual guidancesystem in action;

FIGS. 4a and 4b show the coupling rod and receiver coupled in alternatemethods; and

FIG. 5 shows the external guidance frame being attached to a rocketpropelled grenade (RPG).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, various methods ofattaching the economical external guidance systems on the projectile isdescribed in the following paragraphs.

FIG. 1a shows the muzzle end of the barrel where the external guidancehollow-frame (101) is placed. The external guidance system shown herehas a proximity fuse (104) connected to the detonator (112), a camera(105), the coupling rod (106), the wings (107), the optional rudder(109) and a communication antenna (108). When the projectile (102)advances towards the muzzle, it compresses the coupling rod (106) whichreleases the claws (110) that grip on the ammunition's receiver from theinside. The electronic navigation components like GPS and INS are placedinside the external guidance device's frame and hence they experiencevery little heat, vibration and pressure compare to that generatedinside the barrel. Conventional ammunitions follow a parabolic path butwith this external guidance device or vehicle, a moving projectile canbe hit vertically even if it is behind a mountain. The frame may have aparachute to make smooth landing. For example, if communication systemsare jammed by the enemy or some broken, then the soldiers can use dummyrounds to land the frame on friendly site and pass information whereinthe onboard autonomous autopilot can guide the frame visually.

FIG. 1b shows an alternate design of the external guidance hollow-framesystem the only difference here is that the hollow frame of the systemcovers the barrel and is fixed there manually or by robotic arm. Theexternal frame tightly encompasses the periphery of the projectile andis carried by the projectile while the electronics onboard the wingedframe guide the projectile accurately to target.

FIG. 2 shows the external guidance vehicle (201) which travels in thedirection of the projectile and captures or couples with the projectileusing a nose entrapment device (204) and/or a gripping claw (204). Thistechnique is ideal for projectiles moving with very high velocities. Bytravelling in the direction and speed of the projectile the impact forcebetween the external guidance vehicle and the projectile is drasticallyreduced. The external guidance vehicle can be provided the command tostart the same time the projectile is about to be triggered by wire orwirelessly. The external guidance vehicle may even be launched by acatapult. Depending upon the speed of the projectile, an appropriatecatapult system may be used to generate approximately the same speed asthe projectile, such as, for example, an electrical rail system,gas-based system, or the like. In FIG. 2, the rail system is shown,wherein the external guidance vehicle is placed on the launch plate(209) which is propelled on the rail (208). The boosters or miniaturejet-engines may also be used to launch the guidance vehicle and willhelp it to travel further, hover around the target and also to returnback to base after releasing or dropping the projectile on the target.The external guidance vehicle is incapable to lifting the projectilehence it travels towards the target by attaching itself to theprojectile utilizing the projectile's kinetic-energy but while returningit can use its own propeller (207) making it reusable and capable ofcollecting real time intelligence during the flight and relaying theinformation back via the antenna. The guidance vehicle may be launched alittle before the projectile is triggered such that the entrapment ringor device is unfolded at the muzzle the same time the projectile's nosepops out of the muzzle.

FIG. 3a shows a more advanced option of dual guidance system, combiningthe external guidance vehicle with the external guidance hollow frameattached to each other by detachable or retracting arms (301). Theexternal hollow frame also has a LED (302) on it to help guide it to thetarget.

FIG. 3b shows the dual guidance system in action wherein the externalframe detaches from the vehicle to hit a moving target (303) behind themountains (304). As the projectile inside the hollow frame is steered tothe target, the external guidance vehicle maintains clear line ofcommunication with the network communicating with the link available tonearest network access points like following rounds or satellite or thenearest communication/network drone with on board transceivers toreceive command and share data. The reusable vehicle may have moresophisticated electronics while the frame may have cheaper options.

FIG. 4a shows in detail the projectile with the female receiver (401)fixed with the screws (402) on it, while the external male coupling rodcum fuse is attached to the receiver with the claws (110) which arereleased when the rod is in contact with the receiver and is compressed.The coupling rod is shown to have the insulated command contact points(403) or segments, similar to a headphone jack, separated by insulation(405). The external guidance frame can issue the commands to propel ordetonate the projectile via the input port (111) or the programmableproximity fuse can detonate the projectile if no input is received whileapproaching the target. For example, when the external guidance frameissues the command to trigger the propellant (409) in the rear of theprojectile; the command is passed through the segmented contact points(403) on the rod through the contact points on the receiver (404). Thedetonator (112) can receive the input from the fuse or from the externalframe to ignite the triggering charge (406) and the main charge (407).Instead of claws the coupling rod might alternately have a smallinflating object (410) that prevents the separation of the coupling rodfrom the receiver.

Alternatively the female receiver may be part of the external frame withinput contacts and the male coupling rod attached to the projectile asshown in FIG. 4b . Instead of explosives a projectile may carryinflatable material that will help the projectile act as a buoy to floaton water or have a parachute with hardened nose-pole to hit the groundsmoothly; the external frame's onboard transceivers and radio forcommunication and positioning.

FIG. 5 shows the external guidance frame attached to a rocket propelledgrenade (501) having the rocket motor (502) but no stabilization finsare required on the RPG since the external guidance frame has wings(107) to accurately guide the RPG. The onboard computer and camera canhelp guide the weapon to the correct target and steer away fromunintended objects. The weapon can also be controlled manually bycommunicating with the antenna (108) when greater discrimination isrequired before detonation. The same setup can be used in a miniatureversion to guide bullets and this can lead to drastic reduction infriendly fire or killing of innocent unintended people by guiding theprojectile accurately to the locked target every time.

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 7. In combination, an external guidance vehicle, havingonboard electronics, for use in conjunction with a projectile launchedfrom a barrel, comprising: a barrel; a projectile disposed within saidbarrel and adapted to be launched from said barrel; an external guidancevehicle mounted upon said barrel and adapted to be launched atapproximately the same time, and at the same velocity, as that of saidprojectile such that the relative velocity between said projectile andsaid external guidance vehicle is substantially zero; and an attachmentdevice mounted upon said external guidance vehicle for effectivelygrasping said projectile after said projectile has been launched fromsaid barrel such that said external guidance vehicle is carried by saidprojectile so as to guide said projectile toward a target by saidonboard electronics of said external guidance vehicle.
 8. Thecombination as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said external guidancevehicle has wings; and said external guidance vehicle has aself-contained propulsion device such that after said external guidancedevice has guided said projectile toward the target, said attachmentdevice releases said external guidance device from said projectilewhereby said external guidance device becomes a reuseable externalguidance device which may be flown and guided back to a launch siteutilizing said wings, said self-contained propulsion device, and saidonboard electronics.
 9. The combination as set forth in claim 8,wherein: said self-contained propulsion device is selected from thegroup comprising a propeller, a jet engine, and a rocket engine.
 10. Thecombination as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said external guidancevehicle is mounted upon a rail of said barrel; and a catapult system isutilized to launch said external guidance vehicle along said rail ofsaid barrel when said external guidance vehicle is launched inconjunction with said projectile.
 11. The combination as set forth inclaim 10, wherein: said catapult system is selected from the groupcomprising an electric, gas, steam, and torsion/elastic type catapultsystem.
 12. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein: saidattachment device comprises at least one claw for grasping saidprojectile.
 13. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein: saidattachment device comprises a net for grasping said projectile.
 14. Thecombination as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said attachment devicecomprises at least one ring for grasping said projectile.